Long Beach Education Partnership

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How can an educational partnership help raise achievement for all students in a very large and diverse urban school district?

In the early 1990s, Long Beach faced a series of arresting developments. The aerospace industry had downsized from 52,000 to 11,000 employees; the U.S. Navy closed its station and shipyard; student achievement test scores were at an all-time low; and increased gang activity and youth violence were jeopardizing public safety and the city's tourist industry. Prominent among visionary community leaders who stepped forward were the superintendent of the unified school district, the superintendent/president of the community college, and the president of the state university. At the urging of a prominent local businessman, they established the Long Beach Education Partnership in 1994 and launched its first initiative -- Seamless Education -- the same year.

Of the 78,000 students in the Long Beach district in 1994, 72 percent qualified for free- and reduced-cost lunch. The racial-ethnic composition of the students was as follows: 45 percent Hispanic; 20 percent Caucasian; 18 percent African American; 12 percent Asian; 3 percent Filipino; 2 percent Pacific Islander, and 1 percent other. At the same time that the education partnership was formed, economic development and public safety became the focus of other community leaders. An additional significant development was that the former superintendent/president of the community college became the city's mayor.

This collaborative's overarching mission is to prepare all students for higher education and the world of work without the need for remediation. The goals for achieving this mission are To improve student achievement at all levels; and, To increase institutional efficiency through alignment of expectations, curricula, assessment of student progress, resources for students and teachers, and coordination of initiative implementation.

Each of the goals has a timeline and outcomes. For example, an objective is to improve the preparation of high school students for the California State University English Placement Test (EPT) and Entry Level Math (ELM) examination. There are annual targets for each high school. The following data are collected to determine progress: SAT 9 scores, EPT and ELM scores, high school writing examination performance, student portfolios, and the number of university freshmen needing remediation in English and math.

Research officers from all three institutions collaborate to identify success indicators for each goal and collect and analyze data. So far, the greatest success has been shown in evidence of literacy and standardized test gains among elementary children, attainment of numerical progress for middle schools, and increased enrollment of high school students in college preparation courses.

This partnership defines seamless education as alignment of academic content standards, learning methodology, and assessment from pre-school through the master's level; ensuring coherent exit and entry expectations between the educational partners; and, rethinking of both the preparation and continued professional development of public school and college teachers. The partners have reviewed course outlines, academic content standards, student assessment programs, and student achievement data. Currently, the seamless approach includes: language arts, English language development, history/social science, mathematics, science, special education, and foreign languages.

Participants report that they have learned a considerable amount during the Partnership's almost 10-year life. This Partnership believes that it is important for all partners to mutually determine project's outcomes and approaches. Moreover, the Partnership feels that its organization represents a striking departure from the more common conceptions of outreach that frequently implies an act of generosity or altruism by universities on behalf of schools. This Partnership also feels that it is essential to pay constant attention to the relevance of all activities and renew shared commitment and responsibility at each step of the process. Further, it emphasizes the importance of allowing leadership to focus on the larger goals and leave to staff the resolution of smaller issues. One of the partnership leaders said, "Relationships that are built and the commitments that are made by the individuals involved are what lead to effective strategies. In order for the Partnership to work, you have to have a similar set of values or goals about student achievement. Quite simply, it's personal commitment."

Notable Results:

• Substantial gains in reading at grade level for fifth graders from 6.7 percent in 1999 to 53.3 percent in 2002.
• Larger and more ethnically equitable numbers of high school students taking college preparation courses.
• Reduced numbers of high school students needing remedial courses.
• Increased number of credentialed teachers from the university.
• Gains in standardized test results, albeit modest ones, especially at the elementary and middle school levels.

Lessons:

• Sustained leadership commitment is important.
• Shared vision of success for all students is important.
• Respect for differences among the partners is valuable.